Interviews — Page 3

Supermodel Coco Mitchell Reflects on Ralph Rucci

March 23, 2012 by admin 1 Comment

The Greeks believed that intellectual and creative pursuits were influenced by nine goddess daughters of Zeus. Though modern thinkers no longer look to Greek muses for inspiration, painters, musicians, and other creative minds are often influenced by a muse of some kind. Salvador Dali was inspired by the model, who later became his wife, Elena Diakonova. Andy Warhol was inspired by “It Girl,” Edie Sedgwick, and Pattie Boyd was muse both to Eric Clapton and George Harrison.

Coco Mitchell may not have been exactly a muse to Ralph Rucci, but having modeled for him for over 16 years certainly qualifies her as an authority on his design aesthetic. After having modeled for many of the great fashion houses in Europe, Coco Mitchell brought to Ralph Rucci her inimitable style, regality, and charm.

Coco Mitchell spoke with Fashion Reverie about what it was like to work with the only American designer in several decades approved to show his couture collections in Paris.

Fashion Reverie: How did you come to work with Ralph Rucci?

Coco Mitchell: I meet Ralph Rucci through a personal friend of ours and Ralph wanted me to do fittings for him. At first I wasn’t interested, I had just moved back to the States from Europe and I was trying to acclimate myself. Anyway, I finally contacted him and asked him if I could do fittings for him after 5pm, so I could work for other designers earlier in the day. He agreed to that because, at the time, he didn’t have any money to pay me, but in return for my work he gave me fabulous clothes and accessories from his collections. Eventually, he started paying me.

FR: During this early affiliation with Rucci, who else were you working with?

Coco Mitchell: I did fittings and walked in the runway shows for the first three designers that took over for Bill Blass. At the time I was also working for Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Badgley Mischka.

FR: Did Ralph Rucci work differently than other designers?

Coco Mitchell: Though I had worked with several designers and design houses in Europe, the clothes were already made and I would show up for fittings and do the shows. Working with Ralph, as opposed to working with other designers was very different, in that Ralph gives his incredible patternmakers the sketch and then they come back with a garment in what they call the toile, which is like a sheet. Then we fit that and his patternmakers make another pattern on the things that were fitted, and this process continues several times, and then the last fitting is made in the fabric of that garment to see how it falls. It is a very detailed and incredible process.

Images courtesy of style.com

FR: How many years did you work for Ralph Rucci?

Coco Mitchell: I worked for Ralph for 16 years. I never knew before working with Ralph what went into making couture clothes. I had done couture shows in Europe, but I knew very little about the craftsmanship involved. Working with Ralph I was often in the workroom, so I learned about fabrics and couture techniques, and even Ralph’s own techniques. I have to say Ralph Rucci changed my life. He elevated my aesthetic for the finer things in life.

FR: What was it like being a part of Ralph Rucci’s 2002 couture debut in Paris?

Coco Mitchell: It was an amazingly stressful time for all parties involved. When he first found out that he had been approved by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, life became a pressure cooker. There was so much involved with showing in Paris, from having a place for showing the collection to clients after the show, to setting up an atelier in Paris, to having a place for all of his models and staff to stay. Ralph is very hands on; he is a perfectionist.

FR: Did Ralph Rucci know he was making history in 2002?

Coco Mitchell: Ralph knew he was making history. He knew that he was the first stateside American in 36 years to show an approved couture collection. Actually, I had no clue until he started giving interviews. And since I was with him all the time, I began to understand that he was making history.

Coco Mitchell in Chado Ralph Rucci Fall 2004 Couture

FR: What do you think you brought to Ralph Rucci as a model?

Coco Mitchell: I believe I brought a lot of energy and stamina to Ralph. We would sometimes literally do fittings for 12 hours. Ralph also liked for you to give him input. Since I had worked for many of the great fashion houses from Givenchy, Issey Miyake, Sonia Rykiel, Armani, Yves St. Laurent, and others, my aesthetic was what he wanted.

FR: Fashion often concentrates on youth, yet, when you started working with Ralph Rucci you were a mature model who had worked in Europe for several years. Why did your maturity attract Ralph Rucci?

Coco Mitchell: Though I was an older model I was still working for Calvin Klein, Bill Blass, and Donna Karan. These were designers that appreciated what a seasoned model had to bring to their collections. I brought energy, a sense of style and class, and I stayed current and knew the trends. I may have started in the 80s, but I didn’t have a 80s runway walk. Because I stayed educated about the industry, I was able to marry my maturity with a current, workable knowledge.

FR: You have not worked for Ralph Rucci for the past of couple of years, what are you doing now?

Coco Mitchell: I am with Major Model Management. I had a spread in the September issue of Essence Magazine and I am featured in the March/April issue of Departures Magazine. I recently did a spread with Iman for H&M. I also mentor young children, teaching poise and self-esteem, as well as train new models on runway techniques at several agencies.

—William S. Gooch

Coco Mitchell in Chado Ralph Rucci Couture fall 2002

Chantell Walters: Emerging British Designer on the Radar

March 9, 2012 by admin 1 Comment

With the flurry of fashion-based reality shows and fashion as a pop culture phenomenon, a career in fashion has because a matinee occupation for creative types. That said, many are called, but few are chosen. London-based designer Chantell Walters is one of chosen few who is living her dream.

After graduation for the prestigious London College of Fashion, Chantell Walters concentrated on getting some practical experience and launching her own line. With her brand launching in 2009, and editorials in LABB Magazine and other British fashion glossies, Chantell Walters is living her dream.

During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Chantell Walters spoke with Fashion Reverie about her journey, her dreams, and her projections for the future.

Fashion Reverie: How did you first become interested in fashion?

Chantell Walters: I decided to become a designer at an early age and was inspired by glamorous mother. I would spend hours dressing up in her clothes and making paper wigs.

Images courtesy of Chantell Walters

FR: You attended the prestigious London College of Fashion, where you were recognized as a future star at the Niquitin CQ Fashion Awards. What did you learn at the London College of Fashion that prepped you for a career in fashion?

Chantell Walters: I finished my degree in 2005. I not only learned to make and design clothes, but also to think about fashion as a business. We were taught about marketing, clothing price points and manufacturing. We also learned to think about the commerciality of our designs.

FR: You interned at Preen and Gavin Douglas. Could you speak about your experience there?

Chantell Walters: Working at Preen was great because it was a small business, and they showed at London Fashion Week and had their own boutique. It was a good experience because I was able to learn about all of the different aspects of running a fashion business. I realized quite quickly that designing garments was a small part of starting a company; the real challenge is turning that creativity into a viable business. Working with Gavin inspired me to follow my dreams and that it is achievable.

FR: How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Chantell Walters: My aesthetic is definitely futuristic luxury. My clothes tend to have a sexy, sci-fi edge without looking like a costume.

FR: What inspires you as a designer?

Chantell Walters: I am inspired by the future and science fiction a lot. I have always been fascinated by the future and innovation. I am also inspired by different cultures, particularly indigenous culture, which I hope to reference in my later collections.

FR: What do you believe separates British fashion from fashion you might in NYC or Paris?

Chantell Walters: I think British fashion is edgy and raw compared to what you might see in NYC and Paris. You tend to find that British designers take risks and push boundaries without thinking so much about selling thousands of garments. NYC is more commercial and about making money, so their clothing tends to be more wearable. Because fashion in Paris is chic and Paris is the birthplace of couture, fashion there tends to be more experimental, than what you would in London at the present time.

FR: Who is your customer?

Chantell Walters: My customer is a woman that is not afraid to take risks. She is confident, sexy and likes to march to the beat of her own drum. When she walks into the room, people notice her for the right reasons.

FR: Now, you combine and edgy, fashion-forward aesthetic with new textile technologies. Could you speak about this combination?

Chantell Walters: In my previous collection I used neoprene which is what they use to make surfers body suits. I like to combine unconventional fabrics to create something fresh and interesting.

FR: How are you keeping your brand going in a stagnant economy?

Chantell Walters: I took just over a year off to try to raise funds for the brand. In January 2012 I thought it was time to start the brand up again. Some people may find it strange to start a business at a time like this, but I believe if you can be successful now, your business will have longevity.

FR: What are your price points?

Chantell Walters: My dresses range from $700 to $1300.

FR: Where can consumers purchase your clothes?

Chantell Walters: They can contact me directly at the moment and we can ship it out to them. I should be stocked in some boutiques in London by the end of March.

Chantell Walters

FR: What’s next for you?

Chantell Walters: I plan to get my clothes on more celebrities to raise my profile, have a show in New York in September and be stocked in more boutiques.

For more information on Chantell Walters, go to chantellwalters.co.uk.

—William S. Gooch

Eric Tibusch: Combining Old Hollywood with French Elegance

March 7, 2012 by admin Leave a Comment

The art of couture has always been reserved for those brave souls who have the requisite technical skill, the creative genius, and quite frankly, the nerve to create one-of-a-kind looks in a market that is oversaturated with sometimes, unspectacular ready-to-wear garments. Remember, what we now know as the fashion industry started out solely as an expression of couture creations, gradually morphing into prêt-a-porter in the 1960s and 70s.

Still, there are those who choose to express their vision in perhaps the most difficult and expertly scrutinized segment of the industry. Eric Tibusch is one of those courageous young couturiers who has found his œuvre in the uncompromising world of haute couture. From collections that reference bygone iconic couture houses to being inspired by the limitless possibilities of the feminine silhouette, Tibusch after five seasons is becoming a couture force to be reckoned with.

After his 2012 Fall couture collection in Paris, Eric Tibusch graciously spoke with Fashion Reverie about his passion, his inspiration and his unquenchable thirst for beauty.

Fashion Reverie: Your couture collections are always fashion forward but definitely reference past fashion icons like Elsa Schiaparelli and others. Could you speak about that?

Eric Tibusch: To be honest, I’m a big movie buff ; culture in its broadest sense is very important to me. References such as French haute couture houses (Elsa Schiaparelli) are a part of my French DNA. However, in my collections, references from the past mix with my projections for the future.

FR: There is always a surprise in your couture collections; an exposed leg here; a titillating glimpse there. Why this particular design aspect to your couture collections?

Eric Tibusch: I like to deconstruct and reinvent clothing. I am always trying to develop, for my couture collections, an unusual, crazy sense of creativity.

FR: You also use lots of models of color. Could you speak about that?

Eric Tibusch: I always integrate models of color into my runway shows and campaigns because it expands perceptions of beauty and elegance. A variety of skin colors uniquely sublimates color associations.

FR: For your Fall/Winter 2011 collection you stayed on trend by using sheer fabrics such as silk organza, chiffons and chantilly lace. However, you combined these sheer fabrics with some very interesting textures such as alligator, crocodile, fox and monkey fur. Why these combinations?

Eric Tibusch: For me, combining different fabrics in an unusual way represents the independent, rock star spirit. I like to mix different materials, which is a kind of adventurous risk, and when mixed together, actually works and distills an aesthetic never seen before.

FR: What is the inspiration for your current couture collection?

Eric Tibusch: Movie actresses from the Hollywood’s Golden Age, such as Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Bette Davis, and Marilyn Monroe, had a large influence on cinema and fashion and created the concept of Hollywood glamour.

Those movie stars still shine in my mind. I revisit these classics in my current couture collection using solstice chantilly-embroidered lace and linen organza, combined with leather. I pay tribute to Hollywood, where American chic meets French elegance.

Rudolf Valentino, Clark Gable, Marlon Brando and the emblematic figure of the Great Gatsby inspired me to recreate Hollywood’s masculine elegance. For this collection, I recreated the kind of mystery that still inspires today’s man, using the most luxurious materials such as Loro Piana’s super 160 Summer Tasmanian. I also link the masculine and the feminine figure by using the current trend of diaphanous, sheer fabrics.

FR: Why did you include menswear in your current couture collection ?

Eric Tibusch: I decided to include menswear in this collection because in recent years the menswear market has become very strong. Also for the past two years, I have dreamed of creating a collection that contained clothes that I would want to wear. My vision of menswear is a classic approach with a touch of whimsy and creativity mixed with a solid foundation of masculine charm.

FR: What are your fabric choices in this collection?

Eric Tibusch: In this couture collection I use leather, silk and lace textures and fabrics used in previous collections. However, in this outing I also incorporated some new materials, like naturals flowers, duck wing feathers and some wood products.

FR: Who is your customer?

Eric Tibusch: My customer spans a wide age demographic from 20 years of age to very mature women. My clientele is also every international, from the US to Russia, Japan, Middle Eastern countries, England, and of course France.

Images courtesy of Eric Tibusch

FR: In this economic downturn, how have you adjusted your brand to withstand a challenging economy?

I launched my fashion house in 2006, which was early in the financial crisis. That said, my fashion house is surviving this downturn. In fact, we don’t know what it is to have a fashion house in good economic times. And perhaps, this crisis has caused us to be more creative.

FR: What is next for you ?

Eric Tibusch: I’m already working on the next couture collection, and the ready-to-wear collection will soon be available in boutiques and retail stores, as well as my new jewelry collection.

—William S. Gooch